This invention relates to a device for sharpening cutlery, particularly cutlery having a blade that tapers to a thin edge. The devised sharpener is ideal for sharpening a pocket knife as it has a compact construction that makes the sharpener convenient for being personally carried in a user's pocket or change purse. There are a variety of devices for sharpening cutlery from grinding wheels and sharpening stones to files and specialized edge stripping devices for blades having a tapered edge.
While tapered edge sharpening can be accomplished with traditional sharpening devices such as grinding wheels and sharpening stones that consist of a composition abrasive material that is generally drawn across the edge of the cutlery blade, this requires a skill in accurately orienting the blade at a select optimum angle on drawing the blade across the stone or stone across the blade. This action must be performed repeatedly on each side of the blade to properly sharpen the blade. A skillfully honed knife sharpened with a whetstone undoubtedly provides the sharpest cutting edge. However, if ineptly performed, a stone sharpened knife can result in a blade that is duller than before the attempted sharpening.
Other devices such as a butcher's steel sharpens a blade by a combination cross draw, longitudinal sliding motion on each side of the blade by a cylindrical, finely fluted metal file. The butcher's steel is relatively large in size and is ideally suited for imparting a finished edge to large knives and cleavers.
Strip sharpeners of the type related to this invention operate longitudinally along the edge to simultaneously shave both sides of a tapered blade edge. Strip sharpeners have the advantage of automatically providing a proper angle of taper to the blades edge. Sharpening by edge stripping allows for compact design of the sharpener. The strip sharpener of the invention is particularly compact in size and inexpensive to manufacture and comprises an improvement in design and construction over prior sharpeners.